FDOH announces four new deaths related to COVID-19

Health workers prepare to conduct a drive-through COVID-19 test for people at KPJ Damansara Specialist Hospital, in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, Monday, March 30, 2020. The Malaysian government issued a restricted movement order to the public till April 14, to help curb the spread of the new coronavirus. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people, but for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian) (Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

ORLANDO, Fla. – Florida public health officials reported 704 new cases of coronavirus in the state Sunday night.

The Florida Department of Health reports there are 4,950 people who have tested positive for COVID-19. The death toll increased to 60, four more than the FDOH’s 11:30 a.m. update.

The FDOH is now releasing the number of patients hospitalized due to the illness, reporting 633 patients are currently being treated.

In Central Florida, Orange County has the most cases of people afflicted by the virus, its count climbing to 268. Mayor Jerry Demings said the youngest person to test positive is 11 months old.

So far, only Orange and Volusia counties have reported coronavirus-related deaths.

See a county-by-county breakdown below:

County

Confirmed Cases

Hospitalizations

Deaths

Brevard

28

3

0

Flagler

13

1

0

Lake

38

9

0

Marion

20

2

0

Orange

246

46

4

Osceola

83

20

0

Polk

39

15

0

Seminole

76

15

0

Sumter

43

13

0

Volusia

47

14

1

Seminole County has also seen an increase in cases local leaders opting to mandate people keep six-feet from each other with a county-wide social distancing order that begins Monday.

Florida has continued to see a steady increase as more testing sites have been made available. The National Guard reporting the Orange County Convention testing site has tested nearly 1,000 people in a week.

Statewide, nearly 40,000 people have been tested for the virus, according to Gov. Ron DeSantis. Less than 10% of those tests came back positive.

The governor said Floridians should expect to see an increase in cases, as he’s requested coronavirus rapid tests to help diagnose people with the virus in 45 minutes or less.

“To be able to get a rapid test is absolutely game-changing,” he said in a Saturday news conference.

The governor said he is increasing efforts to supply hydroxychloroquine in the state, turning to colleagues in Israel to supply the pharmaceutical drug.

The drug is meant to be another treatment option for doctors or patients who wish to use it as treatment. Gov. DeSantis said he’s arranged shipment to Miami-Dade, Broward and Hillsborough Counties. A shipment of hydroxychloroquine will also make its way to Orlando.

To help stop the spread of the virus in Florida, the governor has also expanded his travel restrictions from hot zones in New York and Louisiana, saying there will be checkpoints for those who try to drive into the state too.

He says there is already a checkpoint along I-10 by the Panhandle, curbing traffic from New Orleans and redirecting anyone who may be infected with the virus. He said he plans on doing the same along I-95 for anyone driving in from New York.

These restrictions are on top of the flight mandates that travelers from those locations must be quarantined upon arrival in Florida.